Anemometers
I have had several Kestrels over the years, currently the 4500. We use them on the Cordillera Blanca Environmental Expedition sampling climbs (in the Peruvian Andes). While they are not a full fledged weather station, they provide plenty of accurate information in a shirt pocket sized package. Battery life is quite good (multiple days, depending on the sampling interval you set - provides a good tracking altimeter to review your route profile later). The most basic (2000) is anemometer only, with the more advanced models providing more information. The 4500 only lacks a rain gauge. It has a memory (adjustable sampling interval). Difference between the 4000 and 4500 is that the 4500 has a fluxgate compass to you can get wind direction (plus head wind and cross wind components). The 4000 has temperature, pressure, and humidity, plus derived values (wind chill, heat index, dew point, relative humidity, wet bulb, density altitude, altitude, ambient/absolute pressure), and records the values as a function of time plus graphically. Both the 4000 and 4500 can download to a computer, with the bluetooth versions doing it wirelessly.
I have tried various others and find the Kestrel units to be best overall, and more durable long run in the heavy duty use I put them to on expeditions, backpacking, etc. I have used my current 4500 up to over 20,000 ft (Denali, Andes) and down to -200 or whatever Bad Water in Death Valley is, hot summer desert (Death Valley) and Arctic and Antarctic (down to -40 deg) and measured winds up to 70 knot gusts (and agreeing with full-fledged met stations). Oh, yeah, pick your favorite units - Imperial, metric, mph, kph, m/s, knots, F, C, magnetic compass, true direction (you set the magnetic declination). There are some things the Kestrels won't do - max recommended wind speed is 100 knots (though I did hold it out the car window driving into a headwind and showed 110 kts with no apparent damage to the impeller), internal data smoothing, rain gauge, unattended recording of winds requires an accessory wind vane. But you expect some limitations for a pocket device (temperatures on a hike when you leave it in your pocket show more like body temperature, of course).
More expensive than some, but well worth it in the long run.
More Topics
This forum:
Older: MSR Groundhog Stake broke!
Newer: Been using the same gear for 10 years.. and I need an intervention
All forums:
Older: huntavirus in yosemite
Newer: Denali Bad News
Topic: Anemometers
#2083 of 3102 in Gear Selection
« Previous
|
Next »
-
L.L.Bean Men's Trailblazer Snowshoe
by Cynthia Paetow -
My Trail Tent UL 3
by Jeff W -
Osprey Atmos AG 65
by Jeff W -
Sawyer Squeeze
by Michael Krayna -
Outdoor Research Men's Couloir Gloves
by FromSagetoSnow -
Hilleberg Kaitum 4
by Jake W -
Klymit Static V
by mackaym -
Adidas Men's Terrex Swift R Mid GTX
by Roberto Valenzuela -
Black Diamond Spot
by Jonathan Friedman -
Morakniv Companion
by Roberto Valenzuela